John 11:45-53

John 11:45-53

Therefore many out of the Jews who came to Mary and who observed what He did believed into Him.  But some out of them went away to the Pharisees and said to them what Jesus did.  Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees called together the Sanhedrin and they said, “What do we do, because this man does many signs?  If we should let Him be in this way, all will believe into Him.  And the Romans will come and they will take away our places and also our nation.”  But a certain one out of them, Caiaphas, while being a high priest of that year, said to them, “You all have not known anything, while not reasoning that it is to your advantage in order that one man should die for the sake of the people and the whole nation should not perish.”  And he did not say this thing from himself, but while being the high priest of that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the sake of the nation – and not only for the sake of the nation but in order that even the children of God who have been scattered should be gathered together into one.  Therefore from that day they planned in order that they should kill Him.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Let’s get something straight that we’ve seen all through the book of John.  When God’s power is on display through Jesus, division occurs.  Jesus just performed an incredible act in raising Lazarus from the dead.  But how does it end?  Some Jews believe.  Other Jews go and tattle on Him.  So it is with human beings.  When God’s power is on display, some people are interested in listening.  Other people are interested in maintaining the human status quo.

Where are you with respect to what God is doing?  Are you interested in Christ’s call or interested in maintaining the status quo?

Second Thought:

In these verses we hear that Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die.  John gives us the indication that Caiaphas’ prophesy had come earlier in the year.  It is possible that from Caiaphas’ position he is taking advantage of the situation to make sure that his prophesy comes true.  In either case, what we see is that in a great ironic twist equal to the end of Genesis, what Caiaphas intends for Jesus’ evil actually turns out for humanity’s good.  It is better for Jesus to die.  Through His death, sin is forgiven.  Through His death, human beings can be in true relationship with God.  Caiaphas may be pursuing his own selfish prophesy, but God’s will shall be done.

What does Jesus’ death mean to you?  Does it matter that Jesus’ death came about out of the evil intentions of humanity?  How do these verses demonstrate that God truly is in control regardless of what we would like to think as human beings?

Third Thought:

They planned in order that they should kill Jesus.  Jesus’ death is an intentional act.  But it is a malicious act.  Now we see another reason that Jesus may have wept outside Lazarus’ tomb.  Because of that display of God’s power, the Jews would plan to kill Him.  They would kill Him because they were afraid the crowd would believe in Him.  They would kill Him because they were afraid their nation would be taken away from them.  They kill Jesus because they are in love with their own worldly position and their own worldly possessions.  How sad it is to discover the reasons we as human beings turn away from God’s great display of His power.

What has lured you away from God’s display in the past?  What has come between you and seeing God’s hand at work?  Would any of these things give Christ any reason to weep?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 11:54-57